The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-01-22

1877 575, though the State census made II
1911 ,O55. This was an increase in thirty
years from the 2l5 in 1900. OF this popu
lation in 1890, 1868 were free blacks and
746 slaves The winter Of 80 and 81 is
notable for its SHOWS three feet deep, and fol
it's coll. The spring for high water
ten feet deep In the hollow or basin where
now stands the court house, and almost Gov
ering the high IRdian mound where Ged
ney's Block Is. Vermet's corn6eld, between
Shabons and Washington squares, was de
cidedly wet! In those faraway years, after
the fires had swept bluff and bottom, and
raviues and hollows, reaching up onto and
out into the great prairies, one could see
heeps Of buffalo bones; as IL we're, piles OF
them. not one here and another there. Over
hearing an Indian talking about 1t, Us near
az it could be determined by Hiram Thorn,
ton and him. the bones we're explained to be
the remains OF buffalo herds crowded
together, smothered and frozen IN the in
tense cold and SHOWS, Of q time long ago.
Fifty years before, tradition had it! The
snow fall, and depth WAS indicated by the
hand raised TO his forehead, about six feet
1t was about the time maybe that Washing
ton and his barefooted soldiers we're at Val.
ley Forge-who knows? The swamps and
slouehs and timbered ravines being full Of
long wet grasses and ro,ung timber. the
prairies were wetter and rivers at high stage
Of water longer than now, Have seen six
steamers here at a time, and the other day
happened to find one of their old time tables.
giving the hours Of arrival and departure
from Ottawa.
In the breaking out Of the Black Hawk
war the Indians having killed the packer of
the surveying party aud stolen out the com
mlssary department, friendly Kickapoo, to
whom Hit had once given deer, notifies
him, and they scamper off for Galena and
save their scalps Hit Joined Stephenson's
hangers to protect GaleRa and the mining
region, and saw the war through 1882. He
cant say just how many Indians he killed
out and out, but he has brief sense Of some
he got away from md Of being sent as bearer
of dispatches here and there, and 10 the fort
1t South Ottawa and of being haltel by Jesse
Groves, sentinel at the gate, after hehad gone
in and of his telling said sentinel to Ego
to ~ (some out of the way place. and
laughing at the sentry's smartness years
,fter with Debolt, who was on duty at the
loor of the double log house inside the in
closure; said house standing where Bush
lell lived while in South Ottawa.
The second store opened on the river
ank was by Cushman, who came in. "a
aged 2D, with his lovely wife. Next to
eeing her is hearing Col II speak of her,
t her 1.-the form, her fascinating manners,
Ter eyes which lookel one through; her
enial spirit, worker who could be inter-
upted in her work and not be Disconnected; |
whose dignity, elegance, sweetness (cultiva-
ion and nature) recalled the lines
"A perfect woman, nohly planned
To counsel, comfort and command"
Whether it was suspected or not, il is APP |
,arent that there was a trace Of sentiment III !
he Hit Of those days. And it is tradition
ny with certain ladies, since grown old, that
re was u spruce looking fellow, and some
ines quite particular with his kid gloves
md dashing team. Six feet Of him. straight
Is candle curling hair, blue eyes, easy,
rec and firm in movement az n buck, he ev-
iently didn't want to throw himself away, |
,r take up with common doings.'
Ito be cOneIuded.)